The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-06-30
THURSDAY MORNING. JUNE 80. 1887
BILL ARP.
How the People Fly from tho Approach
of Pestilence.

1
How the People Fly from tho Approach
| of Pestilence.
"Skin for skin-yea, all that man
hath will he give for bis life." That is
true even though the devil said it.
Why is it the soldier faces death with
heroism and e1ultation, but let plague
or pestilence come along and the people
fly in terror and in many cases actually
die of fright. I fled from Memphis some
years ago and, to my great peril, rode all
night on the platform Of a car, sitting on
the steps and holding fast to an iron
railing. 1t was an awful night and 1
think of it now with horror. There was
no room inside-not spare foot, and
scores of children were asleep on the
floor in the aisles and down under the
seats. They we're the poor mainly, and
the stench inside was horrible, but skin
for skin, and we endured it, for life was
at stake. was thinking about this yes
terday when our kindred arrived from
New York as refugees from Key West.
Their home is in Sanford, but all homes
and all ports were closed upon them
except New York, and to New York they
had to go. A sea voyage of 1000 miles
when their home was only day distant
and then another thousand miles to reach
our haven of rest. Verify, the land Of
flowers is not always heaven. They were
not so much afraid of the fever as they
we're of the hospital, for the hospital is
almost certain death. When a "sus-
pect" is sent to the hospital his loneli.
ness, his separation from his family, his
couteguity to the fever, and his alarm
combine together. and he dies. My kin.
dred told of a young man who had eaten
too much fruit and had an attack of
cholera morbus. His indisposition was
slight and was kept concealed from the
authorities, and he was getting better
when the secret was made known in some
way and he was ordered at once to the hos.
pital. He vas engaged to be married to
beautiful and lovely girl and she was
with him in the sick chamber and begged
and plead for his life, and said she would
nurse him, but all in vain, and then as a
last privilege priest was sent for and
they we're married. The shock of the
separation was too much for him, and he
died in the hospital, but no one believes
that he would have died if he had not
been sent there. When our kindred
reached New York they were not permit.
ted to land until after an inspection by
the man who carried the yellow flag.
The passengers we're all quite we'll
except lad and his little sister, and they
were only weak and exhausted from an
overdose of seasickness. The captain
was smart man and goud hearted, and
so he managed to have lunch spread
when he saw the yellow flag coming, and
had all the passengers at the table to
show how we'll and strong and hungry
they were. The boy and the girl were
lifted gently out of their berths and
propped up at the table with the others.
The yellow flag counted them all, and,
finding the number correct, left the
steamer and gave her permit 10 60 into
port. 1, takes sharp practice to dodge
the red tape Of government doctors.
1t is the strangest thing in the world
that the great blessings are the least con-
sidered. Good health, pure air, pure
water, are 80 common, that nobody prizes
them. They are kind of matter of
course-and man will make more fuss
about his coffee than about the air or the
water. But just let him get alarmed.
Let the pestilence that walketh at noon
day threaten him, and he don't care any.
thing about coffee then. 1t is air-pure
air-he wants. Well, we have got that
here in Cherokee Georgia, and by Cher
okee mean all of north Georgia. There
has never been any pestilence here and I
don't suppose there ever will be. There
is nothing for it to feed upon. Where
there are mountains and valleys and fast
flowing streams, there is no danger of
pestilence. Iflife-human life, moving
along without extraordinary disturbance
is worth 100, then good health is worth
all of rs. 1t is the biggest thing and the
best thing in the world. Everybody
who has been sick knows it. A man
with sick wife or a sick child cannot be
happy except by the grace of God, and if
he is sick himself his wife and child can.
not be happy. I've been sick myself for
three days, and it took more grace than
could master to make me willing to die
and leave my family in helpless condi.
tion.
But of all the places that have visited
g SHn is that Gainesville is the best
health and long life. This
healthy, very healthy but it
Id fertile, and caunot therefore
eakhy country as around
where the soil is poor and
Gainesville is clean, white town,
d the prettiest place to play marbles
Ia all north Georgia. They have torn
down the old court house in the square,
so as to give the boys chance to play
marbles; and they have built new
court house on side square, aud it cost
them thirty thousand dollars, and is a
model of beauty, and it was paid for
without issuing any bonds. They owe
no debt. The authorities tried to get the
people to vote for bonds, but the poor
people said no. If the rich people want
fine court house, let them build it and
pay for it. We don't want it. If we
ever get rich we don't want to be taxed